The Congress finds and declares that it is the national policy-
1 So in original. The period probably should be a comma.
16 U.S.C. § 1452
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS1992-Par. (2). Pub. L. 102-587 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(1). See 1990 Amendment note below. 1990-Par. (2). Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(1), as amended by Pub. L. 102-587 substituted "as well as the needs for compatible" for "as well as to needs for".Par. (2)(B). Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(2), substituted "likely to be affected by or vulnerable to sea level rise, land subsidence," for "of subsidence".Par. (2)(C) to (J). Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(3), redesignated subpars. (C) to (I) as (D) to (J), respectively, and added subpar. (C).Par. (2)(K). Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(4), added subpar. (K). Par. (3). Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(5), inserted "including those areas likely to be affected by land subsidence, sea level rise, or fluctuating water levels of the Great Lakes," after "hazardous areas,". Pars. (5), (6). Pub. L. 101-508, §6203(b)(6), added pars. (5) and (6). 1980- Pub. L. 96-464 in amending section generally, expanded declaration of policy to provide for higher level of protection for significant natural coastal resources and inserted provisions for special area management planning to increase predictability for necessary coastal-dependent economic growth, improve hazard mitigation, and improve predictability in government decisionmaking.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce.
- coastal waters
- The term "coastal waters" means (A) in the Great Lakes area, the waters within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States consisting of the Great Lakes, their connecting waters, harbors, roadsteads, and estuary-type areas such as bays, shallows, and marshes and (B) in other areas, those waters, adjacent to the shorelines, which contain a measurable quantity or percentage of sea water, including, but not limited to, sounds, bays, lagoons, bayous, ponds, and estuaries.
- coastal zone
- The term "coastal zone" means the coastal waters (including the lands therein and thereunder) and the adjacent shorelands (including the waters therein and thereunder), strongly influenced by each other and in proximity to the shorelines of the several coastal states, and includes islands, transitional and intertidal areas, salt marshes, wetlands, and beaches. The zone extends, in Great Lakes waters, to the international boundary between the United States and Canada and, in other areas, seaward to the outer limit of State title and ownership under the Submerged Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.), the Act of March 2, 1917 ( 48 U.S.C. 749 ) [ 48 U.S.C. 731 et seq.], the Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America, as approved by the Act of March 24, 1976 [ 48 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.], or section 1 of the Act of November 20, 1963 ( 48 U.S.C. 1705 ), as applicable. The zone extends inland from the shorelines only to the extent necessary to control shorelands, the uses of which have a direct and significant impact on the coastal waters, and to control those geographical areas which are likely to be affected by or vulnerable to sea level rise. Excluded from the coastal zone are lands the use of which is by law subject solely to the discretion of or which is held in trust by the Federal Government, its officers or agents.
- land use
- The term "land use" means activities which are conducted in, or on the shorelands within, the coastal zone, subject to the requirements outlined in section 1456(g) of this title.
- local government
- The term "local government" means any political subdivision of, or any special entity created by, any coastal state which (in whole or part) is located in, or has authority over, such state's coastal zone and which (A) has authority to levy taxes, or to establish and collect user fees, or (B) provides any public facility or public service which is financed in whole or part by taxes or user fees. The term includes, but is not limited to, any school district, fire district, transportation authority, and any other special purpose district or authority.